AAA Route 66 Road Fest Centennial Celebration begins
Travelers from across the country and around the world will be in Tulsa this weekend to kick off a five-year countdown to the 2026 centennial celebration of Route 66. There will be car shows, live music, family activities and a journey through time and nostalgia on the Mother Road. The AAA Route 66 Road Fest will be held at the SageNet Center at Expo Square. Gates are open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 25 and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 26. The inaugural event has drawn strong support from across the state, including public officials such as Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, OKC Mayor David Holt, and Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell.
“Oklahoma has a lot of history sewn into Route 66,” Pinnell said, “so it is fitting that Oklahoma leads the way into a national celebration of Route 66, launching the countdown to 2026.”
The Tulsa event will culminate a weeklong celebration that began when the Road Fest opened in Oklahoma City on June 18 and 19. The Road Ahead Partnership, a national advocacy group, has selected the AAA Route 66 Road Fest as the flagship event for the nation’s Route 66 centennial celebration. Established in 2016 by the National Park Service and the World Monuments Fund, the Partnership promotes and preserves the Mother Road through educational programs and economic development initiatives.
Road Fest visitors can explore Route 66 through the decades by touring an interactive exhibit called “The Journey,” which features artifacts, history, photos, fashion, automobiles, and iconic brands that came of age on Route 66. There also will be classic car shows, vendor booths, and family activities that include virtual reality experiences, robotics, drones, pinewood derby racing, and a Route 66 themed miniature golf course. Like any great festival, there will be plenty of food, drink, and live music. Top regional performers are scheduled throughout the Road Fest, such as Better Than Ezra, Cannons, The Ventures, and Son Volt. Go to https://route66roadfest.com/tulsa-music/ for the full Tulsa musical lineup.
Daily admission tickets cost $20 for adults 18 and over, and tickets for teens, 12 to 17, are $10. Children 5 to 11 are $5, and children under 5 are free. Tickets are available at the gate or online at route66roadfest.com. A discounted price is also available at Love’s Travel Stops locations in Oklahoma, where adult tickets are $4 off.
“Route 66 is known the world over as a window on America, drawing travelers who want to see what our nation used to be and what it is today,” said AAA Executive Jared Peterson.
“Many who drive Route 66 can’t help but think of the millions who have journeyed on the Mother Road through the decades. The Road Fest is a celebration of the freedom, mobility, and nostalgia that the historic highway has come to represent.”
The AAA Route 66 Road Fest is just four days away, and in recognition of the Route 66 centennial celebration, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum is proclaiming June 25-26 Route 66 Road Fest Weekend as thousands from across Oklahoma and the U.S. plan to attend the mother of all road fests.